I'm writing this as I keep an eye peeled twards Gustav..
A Backgrounder:
There are three main sources of heat in any laptop; the battery, the CPU, and the hard disc.
This occurs because of less that 100% of efficient use of the power consumed, the rest as entropy heat that needs to be dissipated without harming other delicate components. Efficiency of devices vary from model to mfr, but they all will do what you need them to do with relative ease. AMD and Intel are the CPU's that you will encounter when buying your laptop. I prefer AMD's because they don't have a serious heat problem, they are pretty efficient (speed vs electrical/heat loss=efficiency).
Intel's are great -too. You wouldn't be making a mistake either way. But you know this already - right?
End of Backgrounder
Any laptop mfr that utilizes any/all of the hardware that is available will provide you with a decent package that you may choose. Some are a bit more efficient and offer more bells and whistles than the next mfr. That is ultimately the difference when you choose your make and model. It is a 'get what you pay for' situation. My best advice is just buy as fast as a CPU as you can afford with only those luxuries that you can afford and find useful. A thousand dollars should be more than enough for you to get quite a nice piece of workmanship. I spent $725 on an Hp a few months ago - and it runs everything that any basic storm chaser would need or want. I can also watch DVD's - I look at that feature as a minor plus with the package.
Most of new laptops have this and more. The same DVD player also burns CD's. Built-in wireless, touchpad, 4-8 USB ports, firewire ports, LAN port, external TV port, serial port, s/d-ms-mmc-sm-xd port.
AGGGGHHH!
Enough already - they all have it and it's there if you need it.
After all, they want your cash.
The difference between any laptop is their record of how well they treat their customers. It's pretty competitive, some of them are just better than others.
Sony, Hp, Lenovo, Dell, Toshiba.
Screen size and quality seems to be the biggest muncher of your money. I lke and use a 17" - but 15' are just as good. Check with Google or Amazon.com and read horror stories for the model you are looking at. It's better to hunt and shop before you spend your hard-earned bucks.
It's the American way!
They ('Intel') have not been as efficient -until just this last year- when they got their new processor available (the new CoreDuos & the Quad cores). If the CPU is a year older or more, it's needs for current are not quite as efficient as the newer ones. Therefore, they give off more heat and place a large load upon the battery. So it may be a consideration when picking out your laptop. Big price differnces between the new and the old - even though they all will work for storm chasing. Make sure that the video card is directX 9 w/shader version 2.0; most radar programs may need this protocol to work!
This also means that laptop mfr's are letting them go so as to clear this stock at a cut-rate price. There isn't anything wrong with them - but do make sure that you give them all the space they will require to dissipate this heat.
Intel has just announced a brand-new processor that is capable of one trillion calculations per second. Making what we have now obsolete - but not at all useless. so be happy until it becomes the rave. They will still need to make new software to be able to utilize their product and this keeps your machines useful if not for awhile.
The needs of using your laptop for storm chasing and internet usage while on the fly won't be upset by this new processor. In fact, if this new processors is made available to servers, then the internet speed that you will need can only be improved. But there is no talk as to when these new devices will become part of the everyday technology that we now enjoy and use.
